Bottle cutter

ABSTRACT

A bottle cutting device for making shallow circumferential cuts around bottles of various sizes and shapes. The bottle cutter is hand operated and is positioned on a bottle by means of a disclike guide element which engages the mouth of the bottle which is to be cut. An elongated support arm extends from the guide element and supports a tapered, non-rotary, glass-cutting tip. The guide element and the cutting means are each movably clamped to the support arm so that both can be moved along the support arm to vary their positions relative to one another. This permits cuts to be made on bottles of various sizes and shapes. A stabilizing means may also be movably clamped to the support arm. This stabilizing means provides stability for the cutting tool as a cut is being made. The tip of the glass cutting tool is pencillike and is able to score the glass surface of the bottle as the tool is moved around the bottle regardless of the angle between the tip and the bottle.

tet [191 HaHlSOKll Nov. 5, 1974 BOTTLE CUTTER [75] Inventor: James E. Hanson, Anoka, Minn.

[73] Assignee: Hanson Design, llnc., Anoka, Minn.

[22] Filed: Apr. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No; 354,650

Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-J. C. Peters [57] ABSTRACT A bottle cutting device for making shallow circumferential cuts around bottles of various sizes and shapes. The bottle cutter is hand operated and is positioned on a bottle by means of a disclike guide element which engages the mouth of the bottle which is to be cut. An elongated support arm extends from the guide element and supports a tapered, non-rotary, glass-cutting tip. The guide element and the cutting means are each movably clamped to the support arm so that both can be moved along the support arm to vary their positions relative to one another. This permits cuts to be made on bottles of various sizes and shapes. A stabilizing means may also be movably clamped to the support arm. This stabilizing means provides stability for the cutting tool as a cut is being made. The tip of the glass cutting tool is pencil-like and is able to score the glass surface of the bottle as the tool is moved around the bottle regardless of the angle between the tip and the bottle.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENIED new 5 1914 cutter.

BOTTLE CUTTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for cutting bottles.

2. Description of the Prior Art The art of cutting bottles to make useful and artistic creations is a popular craft. It provides a means for salvaging unused or discarded glass bottles and for converting them into new forms. It is an art which is frequently performed by persons with little prior acquired skill or expertise in the art. I There are presently two general types of hand operated devices for cutting bottles.

One type of hand operated bottle cutter utilizes a cradle with a wheel cutter attached such that as the bottle is rotated in the cradle, the wheel cutter scores the surface of the bottle. The bottle can thenbe broken at the scored line by various means, e.g.. tapping it with a mallet, the use of thermal differentials and the like. This type of device has dimensions which are fixed (or adjustable within rathernarrow limits) and includes a rotary cutting. wheel which is mounted in a fixed position. Because of these features, such devices are very limited as to both the size of the bottle they can accommodate'and the contour of glass which they can cut. It is very difficult if not impossible for one of ordinary skill to use this type of device to cut surface areas which are not perpendicular to the rotary cutting wheel.

A second type of hand operated bottle cutter is one which is affixed to the bottle by an inverted plastic cone which fits into the bottle mouth. This cone supports an adjustable, segmented support arm which holds a rotary cutting wheel to score the glass. In general, this device is more difficult to use than the cradle type bottle SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a bottle cutter which is versatile in the type of bottles it can cut, versatile in the types of cuts it can make, simple to use, and simple to construct. Briefly described, the bottle cutter of the present invention in its preferred form includes a unitary elongated arcuate support arm (subsequently referred to as the support arm), means carried by the support arm near one end thereof for guiding the bottle cutter relative to the mouth of a bottle, and means carried by the support arm near a second end thereof for scoring the bottle as the support arm is moved around the bottle. Desirably, means are provided near the cutting means for stabilizing or guiding the support arm as it is moved around the bottle.

The scoring or shallow cutting of the bottle surface is accomplished by engaging the guide means of the device in or on the mouth of a bottle and then moving the support arm and associated cutting tool around the bottle while pressing the tool to the surface of the bottle.

The bottle then can be broken along the scored line by various means such as tapping the bottle with a mallet LII in the area of the score, or by use of thermal differenon bottles with various size mouths. This is possible because of the guide element with exterior and interior lobes of various sizes. Each of the exterior lobes can accommodate bottle mouth diameters up to the effective lobe diameter. The interior lobe can be used to hang over or straddle the lip of the mouth of a very large mouth bottle whose mouth is too large to support any of the three external lobes. Because the guide element and the cutting tool can be moved along the support arm relative to one another, bottles'of large or small girth and of long or short length may be accommodated by the bottle cutter; Also, because of this relative positioning between the support means and the cutting means, scores can be made along bottles of various contours and at various positions upon the bottle surface. Because the bottle cutter utilizes a tapered, nonrotary, glass-cutting tip, it is able to successfully score bottles at various angles of obliquity. Because of this feature, scores can be made along surfaces which have unusual contours. In addition, because the preferred form of the present bottle cutter is constructed of only three major parts which are connected to each other by means of simple wing-nut clamps, it is easily adjustable for use and easily constructed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an oblique view of the present bottle cutter supported upon a bottle.

FIG. 2 is a detailed drawing of the guide means clamp.

FIG. 3 is a detailed top view of the cutting and stabilizing means and clamp with a tool bit inserted into it.

FIG. 4 is a detailed drawing of the cutting tip and its support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The Invention As previously indicated, the bottle cutter of the present invention comprises three essential elements, namely:

a. support means for carrying guide means and cutting means in a fixed, spatially separated relationship;

b. guide means carried by said support means, said guide means being capable of selective engagement with the mouth of a bottle to thereby assist in guiding the cutting means for movement along a desired path; and

c. cutting means carried by said support means, said cutting means including a tapered, non-rotary, glasscutting tip.

Desirably and preferably the bottle cutter will also include stabilizing means for stabilizing movement of the cutting tip around a bottle.

Although the support means can be formed from a variety of materials and in various shapes, the use of a unitary arcuate support arm is preferred. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the support arm is formed from a relatively thin, curved rigid strip wherein the broader faces of the strip are generally parallel to the plane of curvature.

The cutting means must include a non-rotary cutting tip made of a material suitable for scoring the glass surface. The shape of the tip can be conical, pyramidical, irregularly pointed or the like. One preferred configuration is as a pencil-like tungsten carbide cutting tool.

Although the guide means carried by the support arm for positioning the support arm relative to the mouth of a bottle can assume a variety of shapes (e.g., a triangular plate or conical), it is desirably formed as a disc-like guide element with at least three exterior lobes of unequal size and at least one interior lobe. By inserting an appropriately sized exterior lobe into the bottle mouth, or by resting an interior lobe on the bottle mouth lip, the bottle cutter is firmly supported upon the bottle. The latter configuration, where the interior lobe rests on the bottle mouth lip, allows the guide element to be used on wide mouthed jars, such as mayonnaise jars.

The means for stabilizing or guiding the support arm may consist of a straight arm, bearing against the bottle surface, and movably clamped to the support arm.

Clamps in both the guide means and the cutting means allow both of these parts to be moved along the arcuate support arm relative to each other so that bottles of various sizes and contours can be cut and the cut can be made at various positions upon the bottle.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in thedrawings and hereinafter described.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. I, the entire bottle cutter is generally referred to by the numberal l. The numeral refers to the guide means, numeral 30 refers to the support means, and numeral 40 refers to the cutting means. In the embodiment shown, the cutting means also includes a stabilizing means.

As noted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the guide means 20 include a disc-like guide element 21 having three exterior lobes of unequal size and one interior lobe. A hole (not shown) passes through the central area of guide element 21. A T-bolt 23 passes through this hole and attaches guide element 21 to clamp 22. The means for tightening clamp 22 is wing nut 24. Guide element clamp 22 is a U-shaped bracket, open at one end. The clamp 22 is formed such that the support arm 30 may pass through it. Near the open end the U-shaped clamp 22, a hole passes through both sides of the U. The T- bolt 23 passes through these two holes and thence through the guide element 21. When the guide means 20 has been assembled, the guide element clamp 22 fits over the elongated arcuate support arm 30 and the T- bolt 23 passes through the clamp and thence through the guide element and is tightened by turning down the wing nut 24. This holds the guide element 21 tightly in place upon the support arm 30.

The cutting means 40 shown in the drawings includes an-integrally formed stabilizing means 41.. This is shown in detail in FIG. 3. The combination of cutting tool support 42 and the stabilizing means 41 is attached to the support arm by means of a clamp 43.

Although the configuration shown in FIG. 3 indicates that the stabilizing means 41 consists essentially of a straight stabilizing arm which bears against the glass bottle surface, it is possible that other stabilizing configurations could be used, particularly where the stabilizing means 41 is formed separate from the cutting means.

FIG. 3 shows the method by which the cutting tool support 42 is attached to the support arm 30 using a U- shaped cutting means clamp 43. The main portion of this clamp 43 is a U-shaped bracket with an opening at one end. The open interior portion of the U is formed such that the support arm 30 can pass through it. Near the open end of the U, a hole passes through both sides of the U. A T-bolt 44 passes through these holes. Attached to said T-bolt is a wing nut 45. By tightening down wing nut 45, the sides of clamp 43 are brought together, thereby tightening the clamp upon the support arm 30. Extending from clamp 43 is a tool supporting member 42. As is shown in FIG. 4, a hole extends through support member 42. A solid cylinder 46 extends through this hole. At one end of the cylinder 46, a hole passes through the cylinder perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. A glass-cutting tip 49 passes through this hole in cylinder 46. The cylinder 46 passes through a star washer 48. The other end of cylinder 46 is threaded and attaches to a wing nut 47. These elements form a clamping mechanism which allows the glass-cutting tip 49 to be tightened in place by turning the wing nut 47.

The bottle cutter 1 can be made from a variety of materials such as tough plastics or metal. The glass-cutting tip itself must be made from a material suitable for scoring the surface of glass.

Operation of the Invention The operation of the present bottle cutter can be described as follows. In one configuration, the bottle to be cut is set upright so that the bottle cutter 1 can be supported upon it. The disc-like guide element 21 is properly adjusted on support arm 30 and then positioned in or on the bottle mouth by using whichever of the exterior or interior lobes fits the bottle mouth most conveniently. Then, by loosening the necessary clamps, the cutting means 40 is positioned along the support arm 30 so that the cutting tip 49 contacts the bottle surface at the point where the cut is desired. As part of this positioning procedure, the glass-cutting tip 49 may be moved in its support 42 by loosening and tightening the wing nut 47 which holds it in place.

The bottle cutter is then ready for the cutting operation. In the upright-bottle configuration referred to, this is achieved by firmly pressing down on the guide element 21 with one hand. This pressure holds the bottle cutter l firmly in place on the bottle while at the same time holding the bottle in place where it sits. The bottle cutter l is then rotated about the bottle by advancing the cutting means 40 with the other hand. While this is being accomplished, the hand advancing the cutting means 40 should also press the cutting tip 49 against the bottle surface to put pressure on the glass-cutting tip 49. This will assure that the glasscutting tip 49 scores the glass surface. After a score has been made all the way around the bottle. the bottle cutter 1 is removed from the bottle.

The cut in the bottle may now be completed by either of two means. First, heat may be applied to the scored area and then ice applied to the bottle near the score. The thermal differential will cause the bottle to fracture along the score. Alternatively, a mallet may be used to fracture the bottle along the surface score by repeatedly tapping on the glass surface from inside the bottle in the area of the scored line. This will cause the bottle to fracture along said line.

Other methods of use of the present bottle cutter may be employed. For example, it can be held upright on a suitable base which will also serve to support a bottle to be cut and to position the bottle relative the cutter.

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle cutter for circumferentially cutting any area of a glass bottle, comprising:

a. support means for carrying guide means and cutting means in a fixed, spacially separated relationship;

b. a disc-like guide element carried by said support means, said guide element being movably clamped to said support means and having at least two exterior lobes of unequal size and one interior lobe for selective engagement with the mouth of a bottle to thereby assist in guiding the cutting means for movement along a desired path;

0. means for cutting the exterior surface of the glass bottle, said cutting means carried by and movable along said support means;

d. said cutting means including a tapered, nonrotary glass-cutting tip which can cut the glass surface when oriented at substantially any angle thereto; and

e. said glass-cutting tip rigidly mounted on said cutting means and movable thereon toward and away from the bottle surface to facilitate stable position- 6 ing of said cutting means against various sized bottles.

2. A bottle cutter of claim 1 which also-includes stabilizing means for stabilizing the movement of the cutting tip around the circumference of a bottle, said stabilizing means operatively attached to said cutting means and positioned generally adjacent to said cutting means.

3. A bottle cutter of claim 1 in which the support means is a unitary, elongated arcuate arm.

4. A bottle cutter of claim 3 in which the guide element has three exterior lobes of unequal size and one interior lobe.

5. The bottle cutter of claim 1 wherein said tapered cutting tip is part of a rigid pencil-like tungsten carbide cutting tool, said cutting tool movably attached to said support means to vary its nearness and angular position relative to the surface of the bottle being cut and including means for locking said cutting tool in position on said cutting means. 

1. A bottle cutter for circumferentially cutting any area of a glass bottle, comprising: a. support means for carrying guide means and cutting means in a fixed, spacially separated relationship; b. a disc-like guide element carried by said support means, said guide element being movably clamped to said support means and having at least two exterior lobes of unequal size and one interior lobe for selective engagement with the mouth of a bottle to thereby assist in guiding the cutting means for movement along a desired path; c. means for cutting the exterior surface of the glass bottle, said cutting means carried by and movable along said support means; d. said cutting means including a tapered, nonrotary glasscutting tip which can cut the glass surface when oriented at substantially any angle thereto; and e. said glass-cutting tip rigidly mounted on said cutting means and movable thereon toward and away from the bottle surface to facilitate stable positioning of said cutting means against various sized bottles.
 2. A bottle cutter of claim 1 which also includes stabilizing means for stabilizing the movement of the cutting tip around the circumference of a bottle, said stabilizing means operatively attached to said cutting means and positioned generally adjacent to said cutting means.
 3. A bottle cutter of claim 1 in which the support means is a unitary, elongated arcuate arm.
 4. A bottle cutter of claim 3 in which the guide element has three exterior lobes of unequal size and one interior lobe.
 5. The bottle cutter of claim 1 wherein said tapered cutting tip is part of a rigid pencil-like tungsten carbide cutting tool, said cutting tool movably attached to said support means to vary its nearness and angular position relative to the surface of the bottle being cut and including means for locking said cutting tool in position on said cutting means. 